Multiple tilting arc support



March 1955 R. G. BLACKWELL MULTIPLE TILTING ARC SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled April 2, 1952 nvmvron rwyt R, G. BLACKWELL MULTIPLE TILTING ARCSUPPORT March 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1952 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 2,703,252 MULTIPLE TlLTlNG ARC SUPPORT ApplicationApril 2, 1952 Serial No.2s0,0s7 3 Claims. (Cl. 294-78) This inventionrelates to an arrangement of tilting arcs adapted to support an airplaneengine or other heavy ob ect which requires to he tilted into variouspositions for repa1 r or inspection. A feature of the invention is theprovision of means for supporting a tilting are for movement in avertical plane and means on suchare for supporting asecond tilting arcin a plane normal to such vertical plane.

The invention also relates to an attachment for use in conjunction witha tilting arc and its objects are to provide a means for attaching anengine or other large heavy object to a tilting arc whereby the engineor object may be easily rotated about its axis whilesuspended therein;to provide such an attachment which will permit movement of thesuspended engine in a vertical as well as rotational plane, and toprovide an attachment which may be easily attached to a tilting arc andwhich may be readily removed therefrom when desired. Other objects willbecome apparent from the drawings and the description as is hereinafterset forth.

1n the tilting arc apparatus presently in use for handling largeengines, provision is made for movement of the engine in a verticalplane between vertical and horizontal positions therein, and positioningof the engine for the accomplishment of work thereon is limited tomovements in this plane. In many instances the repair or adjustment ofan engine may be much more easily and quickly performed by rotation ofthe engine so that the various portions of it may be brought to the mostconvenient and accessible positions. Also in preparing an engine forstorage by applying a coating of protective material, such as a plasticor oil, the application of the preservative is much more quickly andthoroughly effected by bringing the more inaccessible portions of theengine to the most convenient position by rotating the engine as well asmoving it in a vertical plane. When engines covered with the protectivecoating are removed from storage for use, the removal of the protectivematerial is greatly facilitated by the variety of positions of theengine obtainable through the use of this attachment.

My invention consists primarily of an arcuate shaped I beam or railsupported at one end of a tilting are by a supporting trolley which issecured to the end of the tilting arc in a transverse position. Securingmeans which extend from the rail or beam are connected to pointsopposite each other at or near the horizontal center line of the engine.A supporting means extending from the center of the arc of the rail tothe lifting eyes of the engine may be used as additional means forsupporting the weight of the engine. The attachment is thus used as ameans for securing the engine to one end of the tilting arc, the otherend of the tilting are being secured to the end of the engine propellershaft by means of a rotational connection.

Reference is hereby made to the drawings illustratin a preferredembodiment of my invention in which similar numerals refer to similarparts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the attachment secured to a tiltingarc and supporting a large aircraft engine in a horizontal position;

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1 illustrating the securing meansconnecting the arcuate shaped beam or rail to points opposite each otherat the horizontal center line of the engine and a pair of arms extendingfrom the center of the arc of the beam to the lifting eyes of theengine, as additional supporting means;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the arcuate shaped 2,703,252Patented Mar. 1, 1955 rail also showing the supporting trolley securedto the end of a tilting arc, illustrating the manner in which the wheelsof the trolley engage the track on each side of the web of the rail.

Figure 4 is a view showing a portion of the arcuate shaped rail andillustrating a means adapted for rigidly securing the rail to the sideof an engine at its horizontal center line.

Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 in which thesuspended engine has been rotated about its axis by the use of theattachment.

With reference to the drawings, my tilting arc attachment consists of anarcuate shaped rail 10 the are of which is the arc of a circle havingits center at the center line of the engine to be suspended by it. Rail10 is preferably formed of an I beam, although rails of difierentcross-sectional shape may be used, and is sufliciently rigid to supporta predetermined weight without appreciable distortion of its shape. Asupporting trolley 11 consisting of a first side member 12 to which isattached for rotation at set of wheels 13 and a second side member 14 towhich is attached for rotation a second set of wheels 15 in line withwheels 13, is secured transversely to an end 16 of a tilting arc crane17. The other end of .crane 17 is provided with anengine shaft supportto be later referred to and the crane itself is movable in and supportedby a trolley 28 of substantially the same constructions as those shownin U. S. Patent 2,348,309. The web of rail 10 is disposed between wheels13 and 15 which engage the under side of circular tracks on each side ofthe web to movably support rail 10 in trolley 11. On rail 10 at pointssubstantially opposite each other are provided a pair of brackets 18having holes 19 adapted to receive bolts threaded into the rocker armhousings 20 of i an engine 21, thus supporting the engine at oppositepoints in a plane passing approximately through its center line.Additional means for supporting the weight of the engine is secured torail 10 at the center of its are such means comprising a pair of arms 22adapted to engage the lifting eyes of the engine; however, various otherconnections may be used instead. To secure rail 10 to trolley 11 in adesired position, the trolley is provided with an opening 23 extendingthrough side members 12 and 14 and adapted to receive a locking pin 24.The web of rail 10 is provided with a series of spaced apart openings 25which are arranged to coincide with opening 23 in trolley 11, so that bypassing pin 24 through opening 23 and one of the openings 25, rail 10may be secured to trolley 11 in any desired rotational position.

To use the attachment in conjunction with a tilting arc for handling anaircraft engine, the propeller shaft of the engine is rotatably attachedto end 26 of tilting arc crane 17 by a rotatably supported cap 27 asshown in the aforesaid patent. Rail 10 is rigidly attached to both sidesof the engine at ar near its horizontal center line by brackets 18 andadditionally secured by supporting arms 22. The lifting carrier trolley28 which has rollers 30 supporting crane 17 as shown in the aforesaidpatent is engaged by a hook 29 of any conventional movable hoist and theentire assembly lifted. When thus suspended the engine may be easilymoved to any desired position in a vertical plane by moving crane 17through the carrier trolley 28 and then, by moving rail 10 throughtrolley 11, the engine is easily rotated about the axis of its shaftinto any desired radial position where the part to be removed orrepaired is convenient for the mechanic. The movement of the engine intwo perpendicular planes permits the positioning of it so that anyportion may be made readily accessible.

This invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in otherways without departing from the spirit or the essential characteristicsthereof. The present embodiment of the invention is therefore to beconsidered as in all respects illustrative and not restrictive, thescope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and allchanges Which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are intended to be embraced therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for supporting an object to permit easy movement thereof in aplurality of different planes comprising, in. combination: a. member.supported. for. verti?w le s nn r ed y ai st ameq memhe a econd, rw t hmed mb r es n iq 3 a amedt e e s.

and supported thereby for rotary movement in a plane ub n iall n m lt esai er qahnlanc; m rd r xn n rms att ched-to Abe ends Q aidec d. auateshaped member, the inner: ends; of said arms being anra nge d; to;engagethe, object at; spaced; apartregions. of the surface thereof; andpivotal supporting; means for. onne t ng; ne; nd: o e ob e t oe secondend o the first arcuate shaped, member.

2 Means. be supporting an object to permit easy. movement thereof inaplurality of; different; planes com prising, incombination: a firstarcuate shaped; member; at least: two rollermeans for supporting saidmember for rotational movementin a-first plane; amemberarrangedtoelevatesaid roller.means andsupport the entire weight ofv theobject; at least twospaced apart rollers; pivot alsupports. secured to afirst end of saidarcuate; shaped member and arrangedtosupportsaidrollers for rotation in planes substantially normal to saidfirst plane; a sec 0nd arcua te shaped member resting on said'rollersgpivotal means for attaching an. end of the object to the sccond end ofthe first arcuate shaped; membfi; and; in;

Wardly-v extending: spaced apart arms; attached tosaid secondarcuateshaped; member, the inner endsof said? lane; a: member; mtm ab y.

. t arms being constructed for attachment to spaced apart regions. oitheobject;

3. Means for supporting an engine having a shaft defining an axis ofrotation comprising, in combination: a depending member; an arcuateshaped crane; pivotally supported members on said member engaging saidcrane and supporting said crane for rotary movement in its own plane,said erane supporting the entire weight of the engine; an arcuate shapedI beam having a curved trachouteachside.ofi'iteweband having-a series ofspaced apartt holes through; its web; a. rotatablysupported capconnecting the engine shaft to one end: of saiclcrane; a trolleyimmovably secured to, the opposite end of said crane, saidtrolley havingan opening adapted to receive the top flange of'said-Jt beam;spacediapart rollers pivotally mounted on said trolley and engaging thetop flange of said beam on opposite sides of the web thereof to permit;rotational. movement of said beam in a plane transverse to theplaneof-thecrane; spacedapart arms on-. said; beam extending inwardlypast the bottom flange thereof; the inncr ends of saidarms being shapedto engage spaced apart portions of'the engine; and; a lockingpin'isupported by saidtrolley-andadaptedto enter any of saidiholeszselectively=to anchor-theengine in a desired position.

ReferencestCitedrin the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2)34.8}3'09i Rohr May 9, 1944 2 383';50.32 Landisetwal. Aug. 28; 19452530,0162 liandisletal Nov. 14, 1950 25862165 Rose Feb. 19, 1952

